DAILY LOCAL NEWS
June 10, 2006
and hefty wooden beams add to
the pub’s ambiance. Dressed in
rugby jerseys, the staff pulls pints
of real ale and traditional cider, and
serves diners a mix of English and
continental fare. In less than a year,
Chef Jason Ziglar’s inventive dishes
featuring fresh, local ingredients
have built up quite a following.
Overhead, plasma televisions beam
in horse racing, show jumping and
soccer from around the globe. In
season, Wednesdays are “Race Night,”
when visitors can enjoy a pint at the
handsome wooden bar and strike up
a conversation perhaps with a jockey,
trainer, world-class equestrian,
blacksmith, owners or breeders.
Cracking The Whip Wins the Race
By Terry Conway
W
hen the third leg of the Triple
Crown goes off this evening, there
may not be a better place in Chester County
to take in the action than an out-of-theway country pub in West Marlborough.
That’s because The Whip Tavern,
on Route 841, caters to the area’s
well-represented horse set that can
analyze horse races like the Belmont
Stakes with an insider’s critical eye.
“Initially we just wanted a
hangout for the horse crowd,”
said Kulp, of Highland. “Then
we hired a fantastic chef and
now we have people coming
from 25-30 miles away. The
success we’ve experienced —
it’s an amazing feeling.”
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The tavern offers a rustic look that’s
balanced with old-fashioned charm.
The walls are a light mustard color
and offset the dark wooden seats
and paneling that stretches around the
perimeter walls. Colorful prints sketch
steeple chasers in flight and hounds
on the hunt. Open fires, a game table
The Whip Tavern building dates back to
the early 1900s when it housed a wagon
wheel business, then later a blacksmith
shop. It eventually evolved into a corner
store and then neighborhood bar.
Situated near the village of Doe Run,
K.C. Kulp and Luke A. Allen bought the
bar in April 2004.Kulp previously had
sold Head Ski equipment to wholesale
accounts on the East Coast, then was
hired as a telecommunications analyst
and stockbroker on Wall Street. After
six years, and in the aftermath of 9/11,
Kulp reevaluated his career path.
“When my wife Danielle and I were
dating we came to the bar,” recalled Kulp.
DAILY LOCAL NEWS
June 10, 2006
“I told her I wanted to buy it. She thought
I was insane. After leaving New York I felt
I didn’t have much to lose. My partner and
I knew the area needed a nice pub and if
we didn’t do it someone else would. We
stripped everything down to the cinder
block walls. The interior was in very
bad condition; the only thing that’s still
original are the ceiling joists.”
“The horse community is very
close-knit, we all support each
other. You’ll find me here once a
week, might be more if it
was closer.”
The partners assembled a team that
included West Chester architects
Archer & Buchanan and Conrad
Somers Construction to create an
authentic English pub. Renovations
began in October 2004 and the doors
opened June 27, 2005. Celebrating the
region’s passion for horses, Kulp hired
West Chester’s Eric Smith to produce
their stylish logo — a riding whip in
the shape of a “W.”
“Initially we just wanted a hangout
for the horse crowd,” said Kulp, of
Highland. “Then we hired a fantastic
chef and now we have people coming
from 25-30 miles away. The success
we’ve experienced — it’s an
amazing feeling.”
“The Whip is very similar
to pubs I’ve visited in
Cheltenham, England. It used
to be this nasty, old redneck
place that kept shutting down,”
said Hunter with a laugh.
“Now it’s a wonderful
neighborhood meeting place.
All they need is a dartboard.”
On a recent Wednesday evening, an older
gentleman in a tweed cap was sipping
Strongbow cider from a tankard. Les
McNamar was reveling in his steeplechase
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horse Java To Go’s victory that was
being replayed on the pub’s televisions.
Next to McNamar sat owner/jockey
Michelle Hunter of Cochranville.
Originally from North Yorkshire,
England, eight years ago, Hunter took
up steeplechase riding in the states.
Her mount, Joe at Six, captured the
Virginia Gold Cup in 2004. “It’s a great
place for old friends to meet and to watch
all the regional races from
the previous weekend,” McNamar said.
“The Whip is very similar to pubs I’ve
visited in Cheltenham, England.”
gestures at the screen and starts to critique
the jockey’s post-race television interview.
Aizpuru’s Spanish parents owned The
Horse & Groom, a pub in the Cotswold
region of England for 30 years.
“It used to be this nasty, old redneck
place that kept shutting down,” said
Hunter with a laugh. “Now it’s a
wonderful neighborhood meeting
place. All they need is a dartboard.”
“I grew up in this kind of business so I
know what a special place it is,” noted
Aizpuru. “The horse community is very
close-knit, we all support each other.
You’ll find me here once a week, might
be more if it was closer.”
At the far corner Heidi White is talking
about her 13-year-old bay thoroughbred,
Northern Spy. Together they won the
U. S. Equestrian CCI National Three Day
Eventing Championship in early May.
They’ll be competing at the World
Championships in Aachen, Germany
at the end of July.
A few seats over, Xavier Aizpuru is
watching himself on television as he
pilots the first of his two jump winners
at the Fair Hill Races. His pal Taffy
“It’s a brilliant place to have a drink
and a chat,” she said. “It’s a little bit
like home, but then again it’s not home.
The food is fantastic.”